Hosta plant named ‘Hollywood Lights’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Hosta  named ‘Hollywood Lights’, a sport of  Hosta  ‘On Stage’, that is characterized by its unique variegated foliage with wide dark green margins comprising up to two thirds of the leaf area and centers that emerge yellow and change to yellow-green in summer. ‘Hollywood Lights’ is a large sized  Hosta  with a mounded plant habit and very pale lavender flowers that emerge in mid summer.

Botanical classification: Hosta hybrida.

Cultivar designation: ‘Hollywood Lights’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, Hosta ‘Hollywood Lights’, relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hosta, botanically known as a Hosta hybrida, hereinafter referred to as ‘Hollywood Lights’.

The inventor selected the new cultivar, ‘Hollywood Lights’, in a garden in Waseca, Minn. ‘Hollywood Lights’ originated in 1998 as a chemically induced sport of Hosta ‘On Stage’ (unpatented). ‘Hollywood Lights’ is unique from ‘On Stage’ in having foliage with a significantly wider dark green edge.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by the inventor by division in Waseca, Minn. in 2004. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by division and tissue culture has shown that the unique features of ‘Hollywood Lights’ are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed in trials in Minnesota for a period of six years and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Hollywood Lights’ as a new and unique cultivar of Hosta.

-   -   1. The foliage of ‘Hollywood Lights’ is variegated with wide         dark green margins and centers that emerge yellow and mature to         yellow-green, the margin width comprises up to two thirds of the         leaf area. The leaf margin of ‘Hollywood Lights’ is         significantly wider than the parent plant, ‘On Stage’.     -   2. ‘Hollywood Lights’ is a large sized Hosta with a mounded         plant habit, reaching a height of about 58 cm (exclusive of         flower scapes) and a spread of about 1 mm in six years.     -   3. ‘Hollywood Lights’ blooms in mid summer with very pale         lavender flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Hosta. The photographs in the figures were taken of mature plants of ‘Hollywood Lights’ and ‘On Stage’ as grown outdoors in Waseca, Minn. under similar conditions for six years.

FIG. 1 provides an overall view of the plant habit and the foliage of the new cultivar, ‘Hollywood Lights’, as observed in spring.

FIG. 2 provides an overall view of the plant habit and the foliage of ‘Hollywood Lights’ as observed in summer.

FIG. 3 provides a comparison between a leaf of ‘Hollywood Lights’ (shown on right) and ‘On Stage’ (shown on left).

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the photographic and printing technology utilized and combined with the color values cited in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the new Hosta.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of six year-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in Waseca, Minn. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with the 2001 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: ‘Hollywood Lights’ is a cultivar of Hosta     hybrida. -   Parentage: Sport of Hosta ‘On Stage’. -   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—About 3 weeks, typically from July 1 to             July 28 in Minnesota.         -   Plant habit.—Herbaceous perennial, clump-forming, mounded             habit, large leaves.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 58 cm (23 in) in height and             about 1 m (43 in) in width.         -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zones 3 to 8.         -   Culture.—Light to full shade, moist soils of moderate             fertility.         -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to             diseases or other pests has been observed for ‘Hollywood             Lights’.         -   Root description.—Freely branched, fleshy.         -   Propagation.—In vitro propagation is the preferred method             utilizing typical methods for Hosta, division are also             possible.         -   Root development.—Rooted transplants from tissue culture             fully develop in a 96-cell liner in about 6 to 8 weeks in a             greenhouse with average temperatures of about 70° F.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Broadly ovate.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Cordate.         -   Leaf apex.—Cuspidate.         -   Leaf aspect.—Flat to gently pendant.         -   Leaf venation.—About 15 to 16 pairs of veins, campylodrome             pattern, impressed on upper surface and raised on lower             surface, color matches foliage coloration on upper surface,             lower surface 144D.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire, slightly wavy near base.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Basal, radiate spirally from base.         -   Leaf surface.—Glabrous on upper lower surface, shiny on             lower surface.         -   Leaf substance.—Average.         -   Leaf variegation pattern.—Dark green margins, bright             chartreuse centers with some intermediate coloration between             margin and centers on the upper surface of the mature             foliage, centers have a elliptical pattern with secondary             streaks radiating from base, centers are a brighter in             spring.         -   Leaf color.—Spring foliage upper surface; margins 137B,             centers 150C. Spring foliage lower surface; margins 138A,             centers color between 145C and 138B. Summer foliage upper             surface: margins 137A, centers 144B to 144C, intermediate             areas of 137D and 144A. Summer foliage lower surface;             margins 138A, centers 144A.         -   Leaf size.—Average of 36 cm in length, average of 24 cm in             width.         -   Leaf quantity.—About 5 to 7 per shoot (eye).         -   Petiole size.—About 40 cm in length, average 1.5 cm in             width.         -   Petiole color.—Inner surface; variegated with margins Inner             surface with centers 144C with stripes of 144B, outer             surface; narrow margin of 137A, centers 145C with shades of             145B.         -   Petiole surface.—Glaucous, both surfaces.         -   Petiole shape.—Sulcate. -   Flower scape description:     -   -   Scape shape.—Round, solid.         -   Scape number.—One per mature eye under normal growing             conditions.         -   Scape posture.—Arching.         -   Scape size.—About 66 cm in length, average of 5 mm in width.         -   Scape color.—144B.         -   Scape surface.—Glabrous.         -   Leaf bracts.—About 2 to 3, about 13 cm in length and 4 cm in             width, lanceolate in shape, 137A in color. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal racemes of single             tubular-shaped flowers.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 3 weeks from first             opening bloom to fading of last opening bloom, individual             blooms last about one day.         -   Flower shape.—Tubular.         -   Flower number.—About 35.         -   Flower fragrance.—None.         -   Flower bud shape.—Spathulate.         -   Flower bud size.—Up to about 4 cm in length and 3.5 cm in             diameter.         -   Flower bud color.—91D.         -   Flower size.—About 4.5 cm in length and 4.5 cm in diameter.         -   Flower color.—91D.         -   Pedicels.—About 7 mm in length and 2 mm in diameter, 144B in             color.         -   Perianth features.—Comprised of 6 tepals, 3 interior and 3             exterior, fused in tube region and about one half of             expanded region then overlapping towards apex.         -   Tepal shape.—Spatulate.         -   Tepal size.—About 4.5 cm in length, up to 1.3 cm in width.         -   Tepal color.—91D.         -   Tepal texture.—Glabrous.         -   Floral bracts.—1 per flower, lanceolate in shape, papery,             137A in color, about 1.5 cm in length and 3.5 cm in width. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—1 Pistil. Style is about 5.5 cm in length, 1 mm             in width and 155B in color. Stigma is 3-lobed, 155B in color             and 0.75 mm in diameter. Ovary is superior, compound,             composed of 3 locules, oblong in shape, 5 mm in length, 2 mm             in width and 144D in color.         -   Androecium.—6 stamens, filament is 155B in color, about 5 cm             in length, 0.7 mm in width, anthers are 3 mm in length, 1.5             mm in width, attachment is versatile, 202A in color,             dehiscence is longitudinal, pollen is abundant and 15C in             color.         -   Fruit.—Capsule, 3-chambered, about 2.5 cm in length, 7 mm in             width, 138A to 138B in color.         -   Seeds.—About 20 seeds per capsule, about 8 mm in length and             3 mm in width, 202A in color. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hosta plant named ‘Hollywood Lights’ as herein illustrated and described. 